Starlingkit's Prophecy
by Sivillian
Summary: A young she-cat, daughter of Dawnpelt and Jayfeather, must learn the meanings of her mysterious prophecy. The fate of many cats rest in her paws. Will she succeed? Pray to StarClan that she will. This is Starkit's Prophecy turned upside down.
1. Chapter 1

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter One: Prologue

* * *

><p>Three cats padded into the stone hollow with silent eagerness. Their whiskers twitched with anticipation as they skidded down the stone walls down towards the pool.<p>

Whitestorm, Lionheart, and Bluestar gathered together at the water's edge. They exchanged anxious glances as the pool rippled with images. They watched the water move and dance with the image of evil forces and soaring claws fighting in the forest.

The StarClan she-cat whispered to her companions. "This is a prophecy."

Whitestorm nodded without looking up. He kept his eyes trained on the water. Bluestar flexed her claws nervously.

Lionheart blinked his green eyes slowly. He sat up and spoke to other cats with a low voice. "Out of the darkness, a silent roar will rattle the Clans and the stars will fall back to earth."

"It must be about one of the newborn kits," Whitestorm said as he flicked his ears towards Lionheart. "This could change the fate of the Clans," he added.

Bluestar nodded. "We must pass this on to Jayfeather."

"You should have the honors," Lionheart insisted her.

"Thank you. Jayfeather will hear of this immediatly," Bluestar padded away from the hollow.

Whitestorm sat up and turned towards the golden tomcat when the she-cat was gone. He flicked his tail into the pool causing a single ripple across its surface. A small bird chirped from under the water.

"This is about Starlingkit," Whitestorm sighed.

"A good cat doesn't always come from pure blood, Whitestorm," Lionheart reminded him. "Let us pray that all will go well."

* * *

><p><strong>ThunderClan<strong>

Leader

Firestar- handsome ginger tom, green eyes

Deputy

Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom, amber eyes

Medicine Cat

Jayfeather- small silver tabby tom, blind blue eyes

Warriors

Squirrelflight - dark ginger she-cat, green eyes

Dustpelt - dark brown tabby tom, amber eyes; apprentice- Flamepaw

Sandstorm - pale ginger she-cat, pale green eyes

Cloudtail - long-haired white tom, blue eyes

Brackenfur - golden-brown tabby tom

Sorreltail - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat, amber eyes

Thornclaw - golden brown tabby tom

Brightheart - white she-cat with ginger patches, one amber eye, scarred face

Spiderleg - long-limbed black tom, amber eyes

Whitewing - white she-cat, green eyes; appretice- Dewpaw

Birchfall - light brown tabby tom

Graystripe - long-haired gray tom, yellow eyes

Berrynose - cream-colored tom

Dovewing- pale silver she-cat, blue eyes

Ivypool- silver tabby she-cat, blue eyes; apprentice- Snowpaw

Hazeltail - small gray-and-white she-cat

Mousewhisker - gray-and-white tom

Spiderleg- black tom; apprentice- Amberpaw

Cinderheart - gray tabby she-cat, dark blue eyes

Poppyfrost - tortoiseshell she-cat, one blue and one amber eye; apprentice- Lilypaw

Honeyfern- light brown tabby she-cat

Lionblaze - golden tabby tom, amber eyes

Foxleap- reddish tabby tom, amber eyes

Icecloud- white, glossy she-cat, blue eyes; apprentice- Larkpaw

Toadstep -black and white tom

Rosepetal-dark cream she-cat

Briarlight -dark brown she-cat, paralyzed back legs

Bumblestripe- pale gray tom with dark tabby stripes

Blossomfall- beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with white flecks; apprentice- Robinpaw

Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat, suspended from medicine cat duties

Apprentices

Robinpaw- mottled red she-cat, blue eyes

Larkpaw- gray tabby she-cat, green eyes

Flamepaw- pale ginger tabby she-cat, yellow eyes

Lilypaw- brown tabby she-cat, blue eyes

Snowpaw- white tom

Dewpaw- gray-and-white tom, amber eyes

Amberpaw- pale ginger she-cat

Queens

Ferncloud - gray dappled she-cat, green eyes (Mother of Dustpelt's kits- Ravenkit- black-and-white tom with amber eyes, Shrewkit- dusky brown tabby tom with green eyes)

Dawnpelt- cream-colored she-cat, formally of ShadowClan (Mother of Jayfeather's kit: Starlingkit- gray she-kit with amber eyes)

Millie- pale gray tabby she-cat, formally a kittypet

Daisy- long-furred cream she-cat, formally a loner of the Horseplace

Elders

Longtail - pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

Mousefur - small dusky brown she-cat

* * *

><p>AN: Well, here it is! Starlingkit's Prophecy is an attempt to make Starkit a-okay. Credit for most of the plot goes to XxDarkrosesxX and to Erin Hunter who owns Warriors.

These are the allegiances. I know that it's supposed to take place after Sunrise and before The Sight, but I decided to stick it in some random time in the Omen of the Stars, change up some ranks, add some cats, fix some cats to make it work as best as possible :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Two: Rising Sun

* * *

><p>A small dark-gray cat by the name of Starlingkit slept in the soft moss of her nest. Her nose was tucked into her paws as she slept soundly with the warm sun on her pelt. Then a long claw prodded at her flank.<p>

Starlingkit blinked her eyes open. She squinted up at the sunlight streaming through the bramble ceiling of the nursery.

"Wake up, my little sweet berry," her mother mewed. Dawnpelt's amber eyes sparkled with eagerness. "It's an important day today."

Starlingkit sat up and yawned. "What is it?" She asked, blinking the sleep from her eyes. "Oh! It's my apprentice ceremony!" She remembered, feeling silly to have forgotten.

Starlingkit hopped out from the nest and padded out of the nursery into the stone-floor camp. Dawnpelt followed her out.

"Wait, Starlingkit," the cream-colored queen mewed.

The gray she-kit turned around and looked up at her mother.

"Sometimes the Clans don't accept cats like us," she murmured.

The kit twitched her whiskers and looked down at her paws. This wasn't the first time her mother had said that. In fact, she didn't like being told that. She knew she was different. Her mother Dawnpelt was once a cat of ShadowClan, and her father, Jayfeather, was the medicine cat. She was different than her Clanmates, but if her blood was spilled, it would still look the same as the blood of any other ThunderClanner.

"Dawnpelt, I will be calling for the ceremony soon," Firestar meowed to them from by the Highledge.

Dawnpelt nodded. "Thank you, Firestar."

The queen then began to groom her kit with a rough tongue so she would be presentable for her apprenticeship. Starlingkit squirmed as her mother licked her fur flat. But something was nagging at the kit from the back of her mind.

"You look beautiful," Dawnpelt purred.

Starlingkit looked up at her mother bashfully, her amber eyes shining brightly in the sunlight.

Just then, Firestar called the Clan for a meeting. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

The cats in camp ambled over to the Highledge looking up at Firestar expectantly. Dawnpelt ushered the excited she-kit towards the group. He waited for Starlingkit to climb up the Highledge to join him. With some effort she scrambled her up to the top.

"Starlingkit, you have reached the age of six moons and are ready to be apprenticed," the ginger tom meowed. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Starlingpaw."

The gray she-cat looked down at Dawnpelt who was looking back up at her happily. Then Firestar went on to announce her mentor. She hoped for a good one.

"Your mentor will be me."

Starlingpaw looked up at him surprised. Her mentor was the leader? Was she hearing that right? The Clan whispered and exchanged startled murmurs.

"Good, StarClan!" She heard Dawnpelt exclaim.

Firestar silenced his Clan with the flick of his tail. "I will pass down all I know to you," he mewed before leaning down to lick her shoulder.

She touched her nose to his and the cats below began to shout her name.

"Starlingpaw! Starlingpaw! Starlingpaw!" They yowled.

The new apprentice purred happily at the attention. She scrambled down the Highledge and padded over to her mother who sat by Jayfeather.

"We're so proud of you," Dawnpelt mewed, licking her daughter behind the ear.

Jayfeather struggled with his words. "Good for you, Starlingpaw."

"Thank you, father," Starlingpaw mewed to her father who looked off to the side with his blind eyes instead of looking at her.

Dawnpelt purred and nudged her kit with a paw. "Go to your mentor. You'll have a grand time training with our leader."

"Yes, thank you," Starlingpaw gave a lick to both her parents before padding back to Firestar.

Jayfeather leaned in close to Dawnpelt. "StarClan came to me last night," he said to his mate. "They gave me a prophecy."

"My goodness, really?" The queen whispered.

They were unaware Starlingpaw was still within earshot. She trained her ears on their words.

"Yes, they said: Out of the darkness, a silent roar will rattle the Clans and the stars will fall back to earth," Jayfeather told her. "It's about Starlingpaw."

Starlingpaw lashed her tail. A prophecy about her?

"Starlingpaw," Firestar mewed, shaking her from her thoughts. "We're going for a tour of ThunderClan territory."

"Alright," she nodded.

But she couldn't help but wonder about what she heard Jayfeather say.


	3. Chapter 3

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Three: Attack of the Clan

* * *

><p>Starlingpaw woke up to the milky light of dawn. Her paws were sore from yesterday's adventure when Firestar had taken her out to explore the territory.<p>

Beside her was her best friend Robinpaw, a red mottled she-cat with blue eyes. It was three moons since Robinpaw had moved from the nursery to be an apprentice. Starlingpaw hoped to rebuild their friendship.

Also in the den was Larkpaw and Flamepaw- Starlingpaw's sisters. They weren't actually related. When Dovewing's milk dried up Dawnpelt became their nursing mother. Dovewing had decided to return to her warrior duties full time. The three she-cats were as close as true littermates despite the one moon age difference.

"Robinpaw, wake up," the gray apprentice prodded her friend with a paw.

The red she-cat blinked open her blue eyes. "Hey," she yawned. "I forgot you were an apprentice!"

"I'm not a kit anymore," Starlingpaw laughed.

They sat up in their mossy nests and shook the bits from their pelts.

"Do you think we can go on patrol together?" She asked Robinpaw.

"Maybe. I'll ask my mentor Blossomfall," Robinpaw nodded. "Well, I'm hungry! Let's get some prey to eat."

They padded out of the den. Starlingpaw shivered at the misty coolness of the morning air. Robinpaw greeted her mentor Blossomfall and her parents Foxleap and Rosepetal.

"Hey, this is a good looking rabbit!" Robinpaw picked out the brown furry fresh-kill from the prey pile.

"Bumblestripe caught that yesterday," Rosepetal mewed. "It crossed the border of WindClan. We don't get a lot of rabbit in ThunderClan."

Robinpaw and Starlingpaw munched on the rabbit while the rest of the Clan started on their breakfast. Brambleclaw walked around organizing the dawn patrols. He assigned Blossomfall, Robinpaw, and Thornclaw to mark the ShadowClan border.

"Can Starlingpaw come too?" Robinpaw asked her mentor and the brown tabby deputy.

"Yeah, sure," the two warriors agreed. "I'll let Firestar know," he added.

"Great!" Robinpaw purred.

As they neared the ShadowClan border, Starlingpaw began to feel uneasy. Thornclaw halted them with a flick of his tail. Starlingpaw ducked her head down under the brush while Thornclaw scented the air.

Suddenly Blossomfall yowled in fright.

A band of ShadowClan warriors charged towards them out from the cover of a yew shrub.

Thornclaw prepared to attack, but instead he yelled at the apprentices. "Run back to camp!"

Robinpaw and Starlingpaw scrambled to their paws and sprinted back to camp.

"Hurry up, Starlingpaw!" Robinpaw panted. "We have go get help!"

They burst through the camp entrance.

"ShadowClan are attacking!" Starlingpaw yowled.

The remaining cats in camp, the ones who hadn't left for a dawn patrol, scrambled out of the dens. Firestar leapt from the Highledge. They all stared down at the apprentices.

"ShadowClan border!" Robinpaw mewed.

Then the ThunderClanners poured out of camp through the briar tunnel and sped back to where Blossomfall and Thornclaw were fighting. Rowanclaw and Russetfur had Blossomfall cornered by a tree. Redwillow and Applefur fought against Thornclaw unfairly.

Blackstar and two new warriors crossed the border to attack. The ThunderClan cats reached them in time.

"Thank, StarClan!" Blossomfall mewed as Graystripe and Dustpelt pulled Russetfur and Rowanclaw away.

Starlingpaw stopped and stared at the fighting cats. Her paws wouldn't move. Robinpaw pushed past her and leapt into the fray. The young apprentice blinked. She had a desicion to make.

She chose to help her Clanmates. She hissed and jumped at the nearest ShadowClan warrior.

She took the enemy by surprise, landing on his head. She scraped her little claws over his nose before falling back down to the ground.

Blood swelled on the nick of Blackstar's nose. Starlingpaw gasped. Just as the huge tom began to strike, a sickening cry wailed in the forest. They turned around. Russetfur fell to the ground struggling for air as her throat bled out into the earth. Lionblaze blinked and looked down at his paw. His claws were bloody.

"ShadowClan retreat!" Blackstar yowled.

The enemy cats ran back to their camp with Rowanclaw dragging Russetfur behind them.

Later that night ThunderClan celebrated. The cats who had helped defeat the ShadowClan raid ate their prey beneath the Highledge while Firestar announced their bravery to the rest of the Clan.

"I almost thought you were gonna runaway like a kit," Robinpaw said to Starlingpaw through a mouthful of squirrel.

"I almost did," the gray apprenticed mewed quietly. "But when you started to fight, I followed."

"And jumped right on Blackstar's head!" Robinpaw cackled. "Ahck!' She choked on the squirrel in her throat.

Her mentor Blossomfall gave a hard nudge to her apprentice. She swallowed her food successfully.

"Thanks, Blossomfall," Robinpaw meowed. "I thought I was going to choke to death!"

The warrior rolled her eyes. "I think you need to go back to the nursery and learn not to talk with your mouth full."

Robinpaw mumbled something too quiet for them to hear.

"I want to congratulate Starlingpaw," Firestar suddenly said from above them. "I saw hesitate to enter the battle. She has no training or expierence," Starlingpaw felt herpelt flush. "Yet she fought fiercely. I even saw her jump right onto Blackstar's head!"

The ThunderClan cats laughed.

"But that gave us enough time to worry about the other warriors while she distracted him," Firestar meowed. "Lionblaze won the battle when he killed Russetfur. May she rest peacefully in StarClan."

The Clan gave small nods and murmurs of approval to Lionblaze and the others.

Laying in her nest, Starlingpaw looked up at the sky through the branches and thought about Russetfur. She had only seen the flash of red fur. She had been the deputy.

The young cat wondered what went on in StarClan. Were the Clan differences truly gone?

Yawning, she closed her eyes. She rolled over and fell asleep. Today was over and tomorrow was about to begin.


	4. Chapter 4

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Four: Training

* * *

><p>"It's time for training," Firestar meowed to his apprentice as they padded towards the Sandy Hollow. "I'll show you how to fight."<p>

Starlingpaw looked up at him as they walked. "But you saw that I could fight, right?"

"Yesterday you were brave and strong but you have no proper training," he explained. "I want to see you what you have."

"Okay," she nodded happily.

In the Sandy Hollow, Starlingpaw clawed at the gritty earth as Firestar told her the plan.

"We will practice dodging."

"That's easy!" She said, feeling confident. "I defeated Blackstar."

"You could have been killed," the ginger shook his head. "You are very lucky."

"Oh, sorry," she mumbled.

"Okay, let's start. Dodging can be very important when you're not in advantage," the leader told her. "Sometimes the best way to-"

Suddenly the gray apprentice leapt off the ground and flew towards her mentor with outstretched claws. He didn't even realize she was attacking until he felt her sharp claws rake down his shoulder.

"Starlingpaw!" He hissed.

"You didn't dodge," she mewed with wide amber eyes. "Sorry."

"It's fine," he growled. "In ThunderClan we train with sheathed claws and we wait until our mentors tell us to attack."

Starlingpaw sat down and flattened her ears. She wrapped her tail around her paws and tucked her head to her chest fur.

"Hey," Firestar mewed softly. "You're a good fighter. Like Sandstorm."

She glanced up at him. What a mouse-brain she was!


	5. Chapter 5

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Five: Stargazing

* * *

><p>After Starlingpaw had accidently scratched her mentor during training, the couple decided to head back to camp. The young apprentice was hungry, and the leader decided that it would be safest to have his scratch inspected by the medicine cat.<p>

"Sorry again," the gray she-cat apologized with a hollow sigh.

"It's alright, Starlingpaw," he reassured her. "At least you have good technique," he said, trying to lift her spirits though his shoulder still stung where her claws had scraped him.

"Really?" She squeaked as they jumped over a fallen branch.

"You were fast. The only cat that ever landed an attack on me was Scourge,"

"S-Scourge?!" The apprentice stuttered. As a kit Mousefur had told her a story about the battle of BloodClan and LionClan that she had once fought in. Scourge was the evil rogue who took Firestar's first life. "Am I like Scourge?!"

"No," Firestar told her with a look of stern green. "I meant that you were strong. Scourge was strong."

"Oh," she blinked her amber eyes confusedly.

Finally they were back in camp. Robinpaw greeted her eagerly and Starlingpaw didn't return the excitement.

"How's training with Firestar?" She asked her friend with gleaming blue eyes.

"Oh, it was awful. I'm such a fool," Starlingpaw replied as they padded to the fresh-kill pile.

"Really? Tell me all about it!" Robinpaw urged her.

That's when Starlingpaw noticed her limp. "Are you okay, Robinpaw?"

"One of those fox-hearts in ShadowClan got me good," she mewed bitterly as picked up a fat thrush from the stock of prey.

They settled down by the warriors' den and dug into the fresh-kill. Through a mouth of feathers Starlingpaw explained how the training session with her mentor went.

"Wow, you actually hurt him?" Robinpaw's eyes were wide and prey bits fell from her mouth as she spoke.

"He even said I'm like _Scourge_!" She whispered.

"_Scourge_?!" Robinpaw choked. She spit out a feather distastefully. "You mean like the Scourge that ruled BloodClan in the old forest and almost killed everyone with his rogues and kittypets?"

"What other Scourge is there?" Starlingpaw muttered.

Suddenly Firestar was by their side. "Stop saying that name. If you say it five times in a row you'll be cursed with seven seasons of bad luck."

"That's a fishy tale, Firestar," Robinpaw _mrrowed _with laughter.

"I wouldn't bet my whiskers on it," the ginger tom laughed.

Starlingpaw was glad he was more light-hearted now. "Are you alright?"

"Jayfeather says that I'll live," he nodded.

Later in the evening when the ThunderClan cats returned to their nests for rest, Starlingpaw and Robinpaw exchanged soft whispers in the night.

"Look at StarClan," Robinpaw sighed as she gazed at the sky through the branches of the den. "They're way up there aren't they?"

"Yeah," Starlingpaw sighed.

"Quiet!" Flamepaw hissed from her nest. "Unlike you two, Larkpaw and I are trying to get some sleep."

"Sorry," the youngest apprentice mewed to her foster sister.

Robinpaw rolled her eyes. When they were sure the other apprentices were fast asleep, they resumed their late-night chat.

Starlingpaw trained her amber eyes on the blazing stars that glittered above the earth. "Do you think we'll ever be up there?"

"Yes," Robinpaw said. "I mean, we have to! You'll be leader and I'll be deputy. Then we'll have to go to StarClan."

"That doesn't make any sense," Starlingpaw giggled. "Someday. Everyone goes to StarClan."

"That's right!" Robinpaw nodded. Then she yawned and curled up in her nest. "Good night, Starlingpaw."

"Good night, Robinpaw," Starlinpaw said back.

With a final yawn, Robinpaw closed her eyes. "Love you," she said before falling asleep.

"I love you, too, Robinpaw," Starlingpaw laughed lightly as her friend began to snore.

Robinpaw was more of a sister to her than Flamepaw and Larkpaw had been. Starlingpaw shrugged to herself and took one last look at Silverpelt.

She swore she heard whispers falling from the stars. Was this what her prophecy alluded towards?

"Sleep," they whispered in her ear. "Sleep..."


	6. Chapter 6

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Six: Dawn Patrol

* * *

><p>"Wake up, 'paws!"<p>

Starlingpaw stirred in her nest at the voice but didn't awaken.

"Wake up," a voice mewed in her ear.

Her amber eyes blinked open slowly. "Huh?" She looked up and standing above her was the respectable senior warrior Graystripe.

"It's me, Graystripe," he laughed at her. "Come on you lazy apprentices. Time for the dawn patrols."

Starlingpaw yawned and stood up on her paws. Robinpaw continued to snore with her tailtip twitching wildly. Larkpaw and Flamepaw hopped up and were ready to go.

"Starlingpaw, Flamepaw, you're on WindClan border patrol with me and Berrynose," he said to the two she-cats. "Larkpaw, Brambleclaw said that you and Robinpaw will go hunting with your mentors this morning."

"I thought I was going to hunt with Firestar today," Starlingpaw mewed confusedly after he finished assigning patrols to the other apprentices.

"I'll let him know you're on patrol with us," Graystripe said as he began to leave the den.

"But I was looking forward to hunting with him," Starlingpaw sighed hollowly.

"Don't be a mouse-heart," Flamepaw mewed, feeling jealous of her younger sister.

They went out to the fresh-kill pile for breakfast in camp, leaving the sleeping Robinpaw snoring away in her nest. Flamepaw chose a plump vole and offered to share it with Starlingpaw. As they tore into the flesh and meat of the prey, Starlingpaw's mentor padded over briskly.

"Are you ready to hunt today?" Firestar asked her.

Starlingpaw swallowed the food in her mouth with a rough gulp. She glanced at Flamepaw who offered no help to her foster sister.

"Uh," she struggled with her words. "Graystripe said I was going on border patrol with him and Berrynose and Flamepaw."

"Oh, I thought I told Brambleclaw to keep you off border patrols for the next quarter moon," Firestar blinked. He caught sight of his deputy by the warriors' den with Squirrelflight. "Brambleclaw!" He called. "Why is Starlingpaw on border patrol?"

The brown tabby shrugged. "I asked Graystripe to get a warrior and two apprentices to patrol the WindClan border."

Firestar flicked his ear and looked around for the gray tomcat. "Graystripe, can you find a different apprentice for your border patrol? Starlingpaw is going to hunt with me."

"Oh?" The warrior lashed his tail.

"I think I would like to go on border patrol," Starlingpaw piped up.

The two toms glared at her.

"Hm, okay," Firestar finally said. "We'll go hunting tonight during dusk patrols."

Graystripe muttered something before padding over to his mate Millie. Firestar's glare followed the tom before he stalked over to his own mate Sandstorm.

"What's their issue?" Flamepaw asked while licking the last bits of prey.

"I don't know," Starlingpaw mumbled. "I guess we should go find Berrynose?"

It was obvious the two longtime friends had a craggly snag of tension between. It was about something more than Starlingpaw being placed in the wrong patrol. She had a bad feeling in her belly. There was something more to it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Seven: Furball

* * *

><p>Starlingpaw padded out of camp with her tail tucked. She trailed behind her Clanmates as they made their way towards WindClan territory to patrol the border and mark the edge of their territory.<p>

The gray she-cat was mutely aware of the dawn sky dappled with tree canopies, the chirp of the morning wren and warbler, and the scent of dew rolling off the tender furls of fern.

"Today is a good day for hunting," Berrynose mewed.

Graystripe shot him a sharp glare.

Suddenly, the caterwaul of a creature cried in the forest. The patrol of four stopped in their tracks. Graystripe lifted his tail up and perked his ears up. Starlingpaw scanned the trees.

The yowl sounded again and Graystripe mewed, "Sounds like Icecloud!"

A second caterwaul pierced the air.

"Larkpaw!" Starlingpaw squeaked.

"They're in trouble," Graystripe said. "Hurry!"

The two toms and the older apprentice broke into a sprint and dashed towards their two Clanmates that seemed to be in trouble by the lakeshore. Starlingpaw had barely began to run as her patrol advanced ahead her already out of sight.

"Wait up?" She whispered to no cat. "Oh, StarClan, what do I do?"

Alone the young she-cat decided to turn back and report back to camp and get a warrior for help. She trotted back to camp with a brisk step. _Oh my StarClan, I'm going to be sick. _She felt bile rise in her throat, so she darted towards an elderberry bush.

The apprentice heaved and emptied her meal of vole into the roots of the shrub.

"I have to help them save Larkpaw," she stood up and wiped the spit from her muzzle with a paw. She cringed and spit out a wad of fur. "I should go see Father instead."

Disheveled, Starlingpaw stumbled through the forest. Her head was spinning and her belly felt lopsided. She made her way back to camp. At least she thought she was.

_Ewchk... What's that horrible smell? _she thought with a confused mind. _Gross!_

Suddenly she bumped into a pale tree. It was fuzzy and sturdy with tight muscles. _What a weird tree._

"What in StarClan are you doing in ShadowClan territory?" The voice growled.

Starlingpaw looked up. Blackstar's sharp eyes were glaring down at her.

"I-I," she stuttered. "I didn't mean toooo."

She hacked up another hairball. Blackstar flattened his ears and looked around.

"You're sicker than a kit with a cold. Get back to your camp. This is a warning," he said.

"Okayyy," she mewed feebly before dry heaving over his big, black paws.

Blackstar stepped back in disgust. He couldn't just leave the sick apprentice to make her way back to camp. He also didn't have the heart to take her to his own camp. But he did have a low enough sense of dignity that he picked up the she-cat by the scruff.

The 'paw hardly fought back. "Don't hurt me!" She pleaded.

Blackstar rolled his eyes. He padded into ThunderClan territory feeling vulnerable. He carried the filthy kit towards where he thought the ThunderClan camp was.

"Starlingpaw!" Firestar burst out from the brush with Robinpaw by his side.

The ginger tom charged towards the big ShadowClan leader.

"Flea-brains!" Blackstar hissed, dropping the apprentice on the hard earth. "I came to return your disgusting apprentice."

Firestar bared his teeth. "Get back to your territory!"

Blackstar sneered and trotted back through the undergrowth.

"What's going on?" Graystripe appeared.

Firestar whipped around. "Robinpaw, Graystripe, go make sure Blackstar gets back across the border," he ordered them.

They disappeared into the brush and tracked the tomcat back towards his territory.

Firestar looked down at his sickly apprentice. "Looks like Jayfeather will have three patients tonight."

* * *

><p>AN: I'm glad you guys like this! I've seen commentaries, spell corrections, but I haven't seen anyone actually make sense of Starkit's Prophecy. Unfortunately, this chapter was harder write because I needed to incorporate Blackstar and why Starlingpaw met him. I couldn't just have her running from camp because of Graystripe and Firestar's love, so I just put her in a patrol made her sick and wander off. But I did make Blackstar OOC because he wouldn't cross the border just to return an apprentice.


	8. Chapter 8

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Eight: Father Daughter

* * *

><p>Starlingpaw was curled up in one of the nests in Jayfeather's den. Beside her were Icecloud and Larkpaw who were shivering with cold water seeping into their pelts. They licked their fur dry furiously, but the chills had already reached their bones. Apparently a large owl, who had not fallen asleep despite the time of the rising sun, had attempted to carry off one of the small she-cats, and they had leapt into the cold lakewater to try and escape the fatal talons of the owl.<p>

"Go get some rest in your dens," Jayfeather ordered them. "Come back tonight and I'll give you more herbs. Stay warm and no patrols or training for two days."

"Thanks, Jayfeather," Icecloud nodded politely as she and her apprentice padded out of the den with still-dripping whiskers.

"I swear these cats are bent on consuming my whole stock!" The grumpy tabby hissed under his breath once they had gone. "Now what's wrong with you, eh?"

Starlingpaw looked up at her father with half-moon eyes. "I don't feel good."

The medicine cat lashed his tail at his daughter. "What hurt's?"

Starlingpaw closed her eyes and breathed heavily through her noise. "My head hurts and my belly aches. My throat is sore too."

Jayfeather blinked his blind eyes. He felt a scared, worried feeling in his chest that he didn't feel often. It was for his daughter- his poor, sick daughter. Without a bad word muttered or thought, he brought together leaves of chervil and feverfew.

With some struggle Starlingpaw lapped up the distasteful herbs. "Am I waste of herbs?" She mewed with half-closed eyes.

"No," the tabby replied, his whiskers twitching in surprise. "You're my daughter, Starlingpaw. You are not a waste of herbs."

"But I'm different," she sighed, placing her nose between her paws. "I mean, the others don't say anything but Dawnpelt reminded me. She's the only one that makes me feel bad."

Jayfeather had never been good with sympathy. He listened for any near by cats with perked ears. It seemed that their Clanmates were sharing tongues by the prey pile.

"Look, Starlingpaw," he crouched down beside his sick kit and nuzzled her ear. "It's okay to be different. I'm different. I can't see. No cat has to remind me of it."

"You've learned to live with it," she cried.

"And so will you," he told her determinedly.

Starlingpaw gazed up into her father's blind eyes. He was looking straight into her eyes, though she knew he couldn't see a thing. Suddenly the little she-cat struck his nose with a paw. Jayfeather recoiled in surprise.

"Why was I born? Why did you choose Dawnpelt?" She growled with a hollow hiss. She said nothing about breaking the code.

Jayfeather put his paw on her head and forced her chin onto her paws. "Starlingpaw, I love Dawnpelt, but I also had another true love."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Who was it?"

"A stick." He mewed sarcastically.

"You were in love with a stick?" She blinked her amber eyes with amusement. "Well, if you loved a stick then why'd you choose Dawnpelt?"

"I couldn't have a wonderful kit with a stick now could I?" He laughed. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, my belly feels better, but my head still hurts a bit," she said.

"Well then scurry off to your nest and get a good night's rest. You must've had a bad bit of prey to eat and that's why you got sick. Plus, it's still furball season," Jayfeather said.

"Thanks," Starlingpaw got up to her paws.

The tabby nodded. "If you're head still hurts in the morning I'll give you more feverfew."

The gray she-cat rubbed her cheek against his shoulder before padding out of the den. Jayfeather kept his head turned towards her as she left. He decided that that went fairly well.


	9. Chapter 9

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Nine: War and Warriors

* * *

><p>It had been four moons since Starlingpaw had had her heart-to-heart chat with her father Jayfeather. Since then Robinpaw had been promoted to a warrior by the name of Robinsong. More importantly, RiverClan and WindClan had been engaging in border scuffles and tension was rising between the two Clans.<p>

In fact, the last Gathering had been ended shortly after it began because Mistystar and Onestar's apprentices began to brawl and refused to stop until StarClan sent their clouds over the full moon.

Then the sleak, powerful _ten __moon old _apprentice skidded into camp with her friend Robinsong by her side. "Firestar!" She yowled to her mentor who was observing the Clan from the Highledge. "I have to tell you something!" She panted, her sides heaving.

"What is it?" Graystripe padded towards the two she-cats.

"What is it?" Firestar repeated, leaping down from the Highledge and approaching his apprentice and warrior.

Starlingpaw flicked her eyes between the two toms and shook her head. "Three RiverClan warriors were on the lakeshore. They came all the way here to ask for our help."

"Fox-dung," Firestar spat. "What do they want from us now?"

"They want to form an alliance against WindClan," Robinsong explained.

By this time the other ThunderClan warriors had come to hear the news. "Those WindClanners asked us for the same thing a few days ago!" Brackenfur mewed, his ears twitching nervously.

"I wonder if ShadowClan formed an alliance with RiverClan," Poppyfrost added. "Do you think they want to drive each other out?"

"That would be flea-brained of them," Icecloud scuffed her paw on the stony earth. "No Clan can just drive another Clan away."

"That's right," Firestar nodded towards the white warrior with a dark flash in his eyes. "But that doesn't mean we should let them go to war over- over what? The rabbits running across the border?"

"Leafbare is coming early this year. They're worrying over where their borders lie. The more territory they have, the more prey they can hunt when the snow falls and all the fresh-kill hides," Graystripe said.

Firestar lashed his tail at the tomcat. Within two leaps he was back on the Highledge. He decided to get all of his Clanmates together.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Meeting!" He yowled.

The rest of the warriors and the queens and the elders padded out from their dens to see what their ginger leader wanted. Starlingpaw sat beside Robinsong and Flamepaw. She wasn't sure if Firestar wanted to fight both Clans, back up one of them, or prepare to defend their camp if either enemy Clan decided to attack for not complying.

"Where's Dustpelt?" Flamepaw whispered, looking around for her mentor.

"He's hunting with Sandstorm and Rosepetal so shut up," Larkpaw hissed under her breath.

Firestar cleared his throat and looked at each of his Clanmates in turn. "It's leafall and leafbare is approaching quickly. The Clans are preparing for the coming cold and prey shortage. We all know that RiverClan and WindClan are stressing the most," Firestar watched as the ThunderClanners nodded and murmured about the annoyances. "If a patrol from either Clan comes to ask for our help, tell them that we will have no part in their issues. As long as they keep to the three fox-length rule, send them on their way. If they advance into our territory or attack then get help, chase them off, or fight back. They won't be tolerated any longer!"

"That's right, Firestar!" A cat yowled.

Brambleclaw shifted around on his paws. "Everyone needs to be alert and aware for enemy patrols."

Firestar nodded to his deputy. "Dismissed."

The Clan idly went back to their tasks. Brambleclaw looked up at the sky. Then he padded over to where Flamepaw was.

"Where's Dustpelt?" The deputy asked.

"I don't know," Flamepaw mewed, her eyes wide with worry for her mentor. "I think Larkpaw said she saw him still out in the forest hunting with Sandstorm."

Just then the pale ginger she-cat ran into camp. "Dustpelt is dead!"

"What?"

Sandstorm's green eyes were blinking with shock. "WindClan cats just came up by the shore. They wanted our help just like RiverClan. We said no and they attacked us. Rosepetal and I are okay, but Dustpelt..."

Flamepaw shook her head in disbelief as the cream-colored warriors dragged her mentor by the scruff.

"We just had a Meeting about this," Brambleclaw muttered. "This happened fast." He ran over to the lifeless body.

"Dustpelt!" Ferncloud cried, racing out of the nursery with her two kits.

Starlingpaw stared at the body while the rest of the Clan stood still in shock. No more than two moments ago did Firestar tell the Clan what to do in an instant like this. It was irony that killed Dustpelt because he and the two other warriors were the only ones out of camp at the same time of the Meeting.

Rosepetal shook her head and sighed bitterly. "I fear the WindClanners will launch an attack on us now. They have ThunderClan blood on their paws."

"Onestar isn't a cat to apologize quickly," Thornclaw recalled with a lashing tail.

Starlingpaw gulped. She had never been in a real battle before. The fight with ShadowClan long ago wouldn't be like a battle WindClan might want to start. She was stronger and faster and braver now, but was she fit for battle? Was her heart strong enough?

* * *

><p>Later that night, snuggled in the cool moss of her nest, an alarm was sounded from the Highledge of camp.<p>

"WindClan are attacking!"

Starlingpaw's amber eyes sprang open. She sprung out of her nest and raced out of the apprentice den with her sisters by her side. The warriors scrambled out of their den and the elders rushed past them towards the nursery.

The WindClan warriors clawed down parts of the bramble wall that protected the front part of camp. Like mosquitos they swarmed into the ThunderClan camp with an overwhelming size.

Because with the WindClan warriors were Dark Forest allies.


	10. Chapter 10

**Starlingkits's Prophecy**

Chapter Ten: Truth of the Forgotten Warrior

* * *

><p>For a moment, the entire forest was silent.<p>

There was pure silence ringing in each cats' ears.

Starlingpaw's heart thumped against her chest as she and her Clanmates stood side by side facing the WindClan and Dark Forest cats face-to-face. The deceased warriors were flaming with shadows and the WindClanners were snarling with hatred. Why in StarClan would Onestar ever let the dead, evil cats partake in the lives of the living?

Among the dead cats were Tigerstar and Hollyleaf. _Why is Hollyleaf in the Dark Forest?_ Starlingpaw thought wildly. The black she-cat's green eyes blazed brightly in the blackness of night. _She never did a single thing wrong according to Jayfeather._

But the real problem was Tigerstar. The huge tabby glared his amber eyes at Firestar. "Attack!" He yowled.

The warriors leapt at each other; claws and tails and tufts of fur went flying. The ThunderClanners were hopelessly outnumbered.

A small tabby WindClan tom raked his claws along Starlingpaw's flank. Hissing, she whipped around and rattled his head with a strong blow of her paw. The young she-cat was overwhelmed with cries of battle piercing her ears. She was surrounded by writhing furry bodies and she couldn't tell who was friend or foe.

She was thrown aside by a strong bash to the shoulders. She was flung against the stone wall of the camp and her eyes spun wildly. She shook her head and hopped up to her paws ready to keep fighting.

Then a silver body landed at her paws.

"Jayfeather!" She screamed.

Hollyleaf snickered. "He was in my way."

"What's wrong with you?" The apprentice growled. "He's your brother! We're kin!"

The green eyes of the evil she-cat flickered. She shook her head. "I'm... I'm with them, okay? I belong with the Dark Forest. They're more of a Clan to me than ThunderClan ever was."

Starlingpaw stared at her in disbelief. Then the sick realization that her father was dead finally sunk into her.

"I'll kill you, Hollyleaf!" She yowled in vengeance. She leapt towards her with outstretched claws.

The dark warrior dodged and ran out of the broken camp. Starlingpaw turned her back on her Clanmates and chased after the she-cat.

She ran into the forest which was eerily quiet compared to the loud, angry caterwauls of the camp.

"Starlingpaw."

She turned around and saw her two sisters standing side by side. "You can't beat Hollyleaf alone." Larkpaw mewed, secretly glad she was out of camp and away from the hopeless battle.

"Come on!" Flamepaw growled.

Starlingpaw nodded and they briskly walked through the forest, winding around trees, and ducking under shrubs. They rounded about a crag of rocks and the black she-cat sprung out at them in a surprise attack.

She flung herself at Flamepaw with shiny claws extended. It was slow motion as Starlingpaw cried in surprise and Larkpaw sprang out in front of the black warrior's path.

Larkpaw was hit with a hard blow to the neck. With a sickening mew she choked on her last breath.

"Larkpaw!" Flamepaw crouched over the lifeless body.

Starlingpaw stared in disbelief.

"You can't beat me," Hollyleaf told them triumphantly. "I was one of the Three."

"No, you never were, Hollyleaf," Flamepaw spat angrily at the cat who murdered her littermate.

"Shut up, rat-tongue!" She hissed. "I am more powerful than any cat can imagine!"

Hollyleaf snapped her jaws which grew broad and wide. Her teeth extended into large, white fangs. Her shoulders hunched over and grew to a massive size. Her paws flexed as her claws turned thick and sharp and her pads grew thick and hard. Suddenly the sleek she-cat had grown into a huge black bear with piercing green eyes. She towered over the tiny cats, her green eyes glowing bright with a once-envious glint.

"I'm a shape shifter," the bear growled joyfully. "Tigerstar promised me the power StarClan should have bestowed upon me in the first place. That's why I fight for him now."

Starlingpaw stared up at the huge creature.

How in StarClan could any cat ever defeat her?


	11. Chapter 11

**Starlingkit's Prophecy**

Chapter Eleven: The Last Hope

* * *

><p>Starlingpaw backed up as Hollyleaf snarled with her huge bear-sized fangs.<p>

"Starlingpaw," Flamepaw mewed. "What do we do?"

"I don't know," she replied with a course whisper. "Run?"

Hollyleaf laughed and approached the small cats with gleaming eyes. "You think you can run from me?" She stepped towards them slowly with her huge, black paws. "I'm faster than any horse, bird, or cat. You can't run or hide from me! Or fight me either."

Starlingpaw and Flamepaw took several paw steps backwards for every large step the bear took. They tripped over Larkpaw's limp body. Starlingpaw glanced down at her dead sister and sent a prayer to StarClan.

Suddenly, Starlingpaw and Flamepaw were sent flying with the quick swipe of Hollyleaf's forepaw. They hit the hard bark of a tree. Pain stabbed Starlingpaw's whole being. The forest blurred.

She watched as the huge maw of bear laughed maniacally. Hollyleaf padded towards them as the apprentice's vision cleared up.

"Hollyleaf, stop," she pleaded feebly.

Hollyleaf bared her fangs. "As if," she growled.

Then the bear's green eyes glinted with a sinister thought. She looked down at Larkpaw's body.

"Don't eat her!" Starlingpaw pleaded as she brought herself up to her paws.

Hollyleaf picked up the small tabby in her jaws. "I'm not a cannibal," she laughed through Larkpaw's fur.

She flung the small cat at Starlingpaw. The dead weight of Larkpaw pushed her back into the tree. Starlingpaw pushed the body off of her and stood up.

"Hollyleaf, why stay with Tigerstar? You have your powers now. You can leave him and rejoin the Clans," she mewed, hoping to be able to convince the former ThunderClan warriors.

Hollyleaf blinked. "I tried. If I leave he'll take away my powers. But it's worth it!" She roared. "I have more power than StarClan itself!"

As she said that, the limp body of Larkpaw twitched and jerked. Flamepaw and Starlingpaw stared down at their sister in awe. The tabby she-cat stood up with unnatural movements. Only moments ago had she been dead.

Larkpaw looked straight at her sisters with closed eyes.

"Goodbye," Hollyleaf said as she morphed back into the long-furred she-cat.

Starlingpaw saw the black cat sprint away into the undergrowth. She turned back to Larkpaw. "Are you okay?"

Larkpaw's eyes opened.

Flamepaw gasped. "Her eyes!"

The pale green of Larkpaw's eyes were replaced the bright, emerald shade of Hollyleaf's own.


End file.
